National pledges to complete home insulation programme

The National Party says it is committed to completing its programme to insulate State houses.

[image:3619:half:right]

The party announced its housing policy on Saturday, saying every State home built before 1978 will be insulated by the end of 2013.

Leader John Key says his party is committed to having another 50,000 privately-owned homes insulated and heated by a clean energy source under the Government's rebate scheme.

"Funding for this will be allocated from Housing New Zealand's baseline so National is also fulfilling its promise to do better with the money we have."

National says since it came into government in 2008, more than 133,000 privately-owned homes have also been retro-fitted with insulation under its Warm Up New Zealand: Heat Smart insulation and clean heating scheme.

Under this, homeowners with houses built before 2000 are eligible for 33% of the cost of installing ceiling and under floor insulation, up to a maximum of $1300.

Meanwhile, housing spokesperson Phil Heatley says over the past three years 400 tenants have been evicted from state houses for vandalism, fraud and other anti-social behaviour.

Mr Heatley says if re-elected, National would support a suspensions policy so a State house tenant evicted for illegal behaviour would not be eligible for another State house for up to a year.